Why tangy fruit could stop you gaining weight

The secret to staying slim may lie in a tangy fruit.

The juice of the blood orange stops mice piling on weight when fed a high-fat diet, research shows.

In contrast, mice fed sweeter oranges more popular in the UK gain significant amounts of fat.

Scientists believe the fat-busting powers of the fruit, grown in Italy and the U.S., may be partly due to its high levels of anthocyanin. This red pigment that gives the orange its deep colour is a type of antioxidant, a natural chemical that helps ward off disease.

The juice damages the ability of cells called adipocytes to accumulate fat, University of Milan researchers told the International Journal of Obesity.

Adipocytes are found mostly around the waistline and absorb fat from food to store as energy.